1. Field of the Invention
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a lane recognition system and method using a defog sensor, and more particularly, to a lane recognition system and method using a defog sensor, which analyzes a signal of the defog sensor and acquires final lane information through image processing based on the analyzed signal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, in the automobile industry, research has been actively conducted on the development of technology related to an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) for supporting a driver's driving ability.
In particular, many ADASs based on lane recognition technology have emerged. Representative examples of the ADAS may include a lane departure warning system (LDWS).
Korean Patent No. 10-0666276 (Patent Document 1) has disclosed a lane recognition method according to the related art.
Patent Document 1 relates to a lane departure warning method using a vanishing point. FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the lane departure warning method according to the related art.
Referring to FIG. 5, the lane departure warning method according to the related art includes: receiving an image of a lane through a camera; binarizing the image information of the lane; extracting edges by removing unnecessary portions of the binarized lane information; calculating the slope of the lane through an equation of straight line based on input lanes at both sides, and modeling a graph of the lane; comparing the graph of the modeled lane to a preset warning threshold section; and issuing a warning to a driver when the graph of the lane exceeds the warning threshold section. Through the lane departure warning method, a process of analyzing lane information inputted from an image input unit during the operation of a vehicle may be performed with more precision.
However, although various related techniques have been developed, the lane recognition precision of the lane departure warning system and method may be significantly degraded in a special environment in which frost or demister is formed on the windshield of a vehicle as illustrated in FIG. 1A or 1B.
Furthermore, when a lane is misrecognized due to the frost or demister, the lane departure warning system based on the misrecognized lane may malfunction to increase the risk of an accident during operation.
Recently, a defogging system has been developed, which operates an air-conditioning system inside a vehicle when a defog sensor senses frost or demister on a windshield. However, since the air-conditioning system is implemented separately from the operation of the lane recognition system, the defogging system does not contribute to the improvement of lane recognition precision.